Who hasn't grown up with the story of the legendary King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table? How about Merlin the magician who is believed to have had paranormal powers? What of the mystical powers associated with the famed Excalibur sword?
The Legend of Merlin the Wizard
The original claims about Merlin is that he was born of a human mother and daimon father, which in Greek translation means spirit. Upon the birth of Christianity, the translation was changed to Satan and Merlin was believed to be the son of the devil. However, as legend tells it, due to the quick thinking of one priest, Merlin was baptized before the devil could take him away.
Merlin is credited with many paranormal feats including prophecy, appearing and disappearing at will, and casting very powerful spells. While some view him as a powerful sorcerer, others see him as a shaman and healer. The history of Merlin seems to have faded once the so-called the Round Table was formed.
Was King Arthur Real?
Many have considered King Arthur and his Lady Guinevere to be nothing more than a legend. However, some evidence suggests that they truly did exist. According to legend, Arthur and Guinevere were buried in secret graves in the abbey of Glastonbury. Considered a sacred site, Glastonbury is said to rest on an intersection of leys, which are regarded as important lines of the Earth's energy.
In 1190, monks discovered the grave of a man with the inscription, "Here lies the renowned Arthur in the Isle of Avalon." The bones were reburied in a marble tomb in 1278. Unfortunately, the tomb was destroyed in 1539 with the dissolution of this historic abbey.
Further evidence of this legendary king was uncovered in 1998 when scientists found a broken stone at Tintagel Castle, an area said to have been inhabited by Arthur. When the Latin words on the stone were translated, the inscription read, "Artognou, father of a descendant of Coll, has had this built." The pronunciation of "Artognou" is "Arth-new." Who was Coll? Children know him as "Old King Cole."
Excalibur the Sword
Arthurian legend tells of a mythical sword, known as the Excalibur. The sword is believed to have magical powers. According to Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, the mythical Merlin, who was the one who helped raised Arthur, helped him to achieve his place on the throne by having Arthur pull the magical sword of Branstock from the stone.
Did the fabled King Arthur really exist? What about Merlin? Was he really a power sorcerer with supernatural abilities or could he have just been a man with advanced psychic abilities? Not enough information is known to form a conclusion, although there are people who claim to be the descendants of the legendary king.
Readers may also enjoy The Lost Continent of Lemuria – Legend of Mu, along with What are the Nazca Lines of Peru?, and The Legend of Atlantis – Was Atlantis Real?
Sources:
Harper's Encyclopedia of Mystical & Paranormal Experience, Rosemary Ellen Guiley, (HarperSanFrancisco,) 1991.
Exploring the Unexplained, Matthew McCann Fenton, (Time Books,) 2006.
Janis Masyk-Jackson - I'm here to seek out the truth about some of life's mysteries. There is nothing new about New Age beliefs. These are beliefs that have ...
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